Hydrodesulfurization is a process intended primarily to convert the sulfur in organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide. Hydrodenitrogenation is a process intended primarily to convert the nitrogen in organic nitrogen compounds to ammonia. Hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation will generally occur at the same time under similar process conditions if both organic sulfur compounds and organic nitrogen compounds are present in the fluid. The hydrogen sulfide and/or ammonia can be removed from the fluid after the hydrodesulfurization and/or hydrodenitrogenation process. Hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation are processes which are typically utilized to remove sulfur and nitrogen from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid which also contains organic sulfur compounds and/or organic nitrogen compounds to produce fuels which, when burned, will meet environmental standards. The processes may be applied to fluids other than hydrocarbon-containing fluids if organic sulfur compounds and/or organic nitrogen compounds are present and the removal of such compounds is desired.
Commercially available catalysts, such as hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts, used in removing or reducing the organic sulfur compounds present in the fluids of various refining processes do not remove the sulfur completely. Therefore, it appears there is an ever-increasing need to develop a catalyst which substantially or completely removes organic sulfur compounds from hydrocarbon-containing fluids more effectively than commercially available HDS catalysts. There is also a need to develop a catalyst which removes organic sulfur compounds from hydrocarbon-containing fluids while not affecting the reduction of the concentration of aromatic compounds.
Further, it appears there is an ever-increasing need to develop a catalyst which is more effective in substantially removing organic sulfur compounds and organic nitrogen compounds from hydrocarbon-containing fluids than commercially available HDS and HDN catalysts.